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t
BASEBALL SPORTS OF ALL SORTSBOXING
WEEGHMAN SAYS HE CONTROLS
CUB BALL TEAM
By Mark Shields
Pres. Chas. Weeghman of the Cubs
keeps the pot boiling in the hot stove
league by disclaiming any Intention
of resigning and declaring he has
had no friction with other stockhold
ers of the club. He says he has
never been interfered with and is
given a free rein when it comes to
appointing a manager.
But, despite this, the 1 prexy is
silent on the status of Manager
Tinker. Joe, however, seems satis
fied with the course of events. He
is still on a duck-hunting expedition
and it is assumed he had some def
inite information about his future
before he left the city.
The yrn that Franck Chance had
been offered the management of the
North Side team and had accepted is
given a setback by word from
Chance that he has heard nothing of
the story. He says he has not been
offered the- job and does not expect
to receive such an offer.
And to make it more emphatic, he
says that Tinker can make good with
an even break.
All of which may hold a palpitating
public spellbound. We will know
somethfng definite Monday after the
stockholders have finished their ses
sion. Uncertainty about the managerial
position Isn't halting Weeghman in
his effort to land some real ballplay
ers for the 1917 season. The Cubs
have the nucleus of a good team and
need strength in only a few positions
to make them important factors in
"the coming race, despite the strong
claims made for the Giants. (
Weeghman is said to have lines out
for three players of proved worth.
The positions they inhabit have not
been disclosed, but it is understood
e Is a first baseman, one is an out
fielder and the third is a young man
who can play any one of three posi
tions on the infield and be efficient
Further, all havg batting marks
for the company they have played -in
that indicate they might do a bit of
sticking in the big show.
First base is still the North Side
problem, so far as the-infield is con
cerned. Larry Doyle will be as good
as new, according to his own word,
and expecw no trouble from his in
jured runner. It has healed perfect
ly .nd Larry is testing it for speed.
That disposes of the second base
problem, a position which has not
been acceptably filled since Johnny
Evers left the CubB.
Charlie Deal was a good ballplayer
when he was up with the Braves in
1914. He was a star in the Federal
league! With the St. Louis Browns
during the forepart of last season he
was a failure, but this was attributed
to sickness, as he finished in the
American assjn at a remarkable clip. '
His few games as a Cub last fall
made him look like the man needed
to fill in at third base.
Chuck Wortman had a thorough
test at shortstopplng in the big
league last season and will probably
have little competition next year. His
hitting was nothing to brag of when
he first arrived, but he showed much
promise and was improving when
season ended. Wortman appeared to
have confidence and won favorable
comment from the critics because he
was picking oiyt the good balls to hit
at and smashing them hard. His'
fielding was sensational. He made
his full share of errors, but mainly
because he attempted to cover more
ground than any recent Cub -short-fielder.
And he snagged many
bounders that Cub fans had been ac
customed to see go kittering through
the Infield for safe hits.
That takes us around to first base,
which was lamentably weak during
the past campaign, with either Saler